Why your black friends and colleagues need your understanding right now...

It’s almost impossible to see the turmoil happening in the world right now, without coming to the realization that the universe is trying to tell us something – We’re watching history repeat itself again and again. Despite Emancipation Day in 1862, this country has spent decades reinventing slavery and oppression of the black community. From Jim Crow, to FHA Redlining, to Mass Incarceration, we’ve demonstrated a complete lack of value for black lives, while giving privilege to others. Even today, we’re ‘honored’ with a President who glorifies racism, bigotry and violence.  And wonderful black men and women can’t even walk down the street in their own neighborhoods, or go to the grocery store, without being seen as a threat simply because of the color of their skin.

So, when you look at the unrest that’s happening in the world today, it’s important to remember that it’s not just about today. This is so much bigger than George Floyd – it’s about the echoes of black men and women who came before them and lost their lives senselessly over racism, in a society that has embraced it and made it the new-normal. And your black colleagues and friends need your support now more than ever. 

Understand that if something happens to one of us, it happens to all of us. Decades of not being invited into rooms, women holding their purses in fear, and skin color being a barometer for criminal activity, all have created a tight community of family, both literal and figurative. Society has placed unfair labels upon us – when one black person does something, suddenly we are ALL criminals. And because of this, as a community, we deeply feel for one another as a whole and live the black struggle every single day, together. So, know that I’m not watching TV and thinking ‘oh, how sad’ that these things are happening to people I don’t know – I’m thinking about how devastating it is that it’s happening to me – my family – and my community. Because as a community who has always been sidelined, we have always had each other. To understand this, is to understand how deeply impacted the black community is around recent events.

Please, don’t say that you can relate. Because you couldn’t possibly (and that’s OK). The black experience is just that - the black experience. It can only be truly comprehended by walking a mile in our shoes. I wouldn't expect you to be able to relate to seeing the KKK march with torches in your neighborhood as I have. Or being called racial slurs with graffiti on your school locker; or stopped for suspicion of shoplifting because you decided to wear a sweat suit that day and didn’t quite ‘look the part’. America doesn’t assume violence with any other culture other than Black America, and we live that every day. What matters most is that you show your friends and colleagues true empathy in these difficult times. Seek to understand our perspective and help provide support where you can.

We Urge You to Stand with Us. I believe this country is at it’s best when we ALL support one another. History has shown us the disparities in how Black Americans are treated, but remember, while this is a black issue – it’s also a question of humanity and human respect. One life should not be worth a lesser cost than another due to race. We all have a responsibility to act, talk with our friend circles, and try to create the positive change that we want to see. You don’t have to have lived our struggle, to be a part of fighting it. Check out the resources and organizations in your area where you can make an impact.  Please, stand with us. Our hands our extended and waiting.

Don’t Be Afraid to Say the Wrong Thing – Just. Say. SOMETHING. These are times of massive unrest – where even the smallest of acts, can make a real difference. As a black female executive within my company, it’s easy to assume that, maybe no one cares. I was reminded this weekend by several colleagues how wrong I was. Please, do that for someone else. A short note, a text, just to say that you care and you’re here, is all it takes. Don’t be afraid to say the wrong thing, just be human, and say SOMETHING.

I want to say a huge THANK YOU to my McCann family and friends out there, you know who you are! Know that your gestures mean everything, and you’ve done all of this, and more. I hope you’ll pay it forward and encourage others to do the same.

We have to do better as a country. We’re in this moment in time to remind us that having a Black president doesn’t mean that we’re all suddenly seen as equal. Nothing has changed - and our world is being torn down so that it can be rebuilt to be BETTER. It will take all of us to create the change we need to see. I hope you’ll be a part of it with me.